Arthur's Silent Guardian
by Sydelle Rein
Summary: A powerful sorcerer named Emrys resides in Camelot, a silent guardian to Prince Arthur. But why would any sorcerer protect a Pendragon? Candun intends to find out, even if it means kidnapping the prince of Camelot as bait. No Slash! Sequel now posted!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Candun gazed out towards Camelot from his position at the edge of the outlying forest. The sun had not yet risen, the grey sky quite peaceful as it awaited morning sunlight. He smiled softly as he leaned casually against a tree. Tonight would be the night. After all this time, all this waiting, tonight it would all be over.

"Emrys," he said softly to himself ,"tonight we shall meet."

-

"Good morning, Sire."

"Merlin!" Arthur said in complete surprise when his servant walked in the door. "You're…on time. For once."

Merlin placed Arthur's breakfast on the table. "What do you mean? I'm not late that often." Arthur gave him an incredulous look. "All right…so maybe I am." In truth, Merlin had woken up early with a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he had no idea why. It was as if someone was calling out to him, but he heard nothing.

"Honestly Merlin, sometimes I wonder why I keep you around."

"I was on time today!" Merlin pointed out in irritation.

"Yes, one time out of a hundred. You're improving," he said sarcastically. Merlin ignored him and moved to make up the bed as Arthur sat down to eat his breakfast.

"So tell me, why grace me with your punctuality this morning?" Arthur asked between bites. "Didn't you sleep last night?"

Merlin paused for but a moment, debating how much truth to give away. He wasn't even sure what had woken him, whether it was magical or not. "Just happened to wake up a bit early, that's all," he answered, knowing it would be good enough for the prince. And besides, it wasn't even a lie. "Did you sleep well, Arthur?"

"Slept like a prince in a royal palace," he said with a smirk. Merlin couldn't help but roll his eyes as he moved from the bed to the wardrobe, picking out Arthur's clothes. When Arthur finished his breakfast, he moved into position to be dressed for the day. "I'll be training with the knights this morning, by the way. And when I return we'll go on a brief hunting trip. So use the time I'm gone to get things ready."

Merlin suppressed a groan. He hated hunting trips. At least this one wasn't overnight. "Do we have to?" he nearly wined.

It was Arthur's turn to roll his eyes. "Merlin, a _proper_ servant would say 'Yes Sire,' and get on with it."

Merlin sighed but didn't reply.

Arthur frowned at the lack of response. "Well aren't you bright and cheerful this morning."

Maybe it would do Merin good though. Maybe getting away from the castle for a day would help this gnawing feeling go away. When he was done helping Arthur he picked up the discarded clothes from the morning and the night before and tossed them into a basket.

As Merlin left with the laundry, Arthur turned to pick up his sword.

The door opened again. Arthur rolled his eyes without turning around. "Forget something again, Merlin?" Honestly, that boy was a hopeless servant.

"Not exactly," a deep, unfamiliar voice answered. Arthur spun around, drawing his sword in an instant.

"Who are you?"

The man didn't answer, but outstretched his hand towards the prince. "_Quiesco."_ Immediately Arthur felt his eyes droop. He didn't remember hitting the floor.

-

Merlin shifted the basket into a more comfortable position and opened the door. "Arthur?" he called, but the prince wasn't there. He must still be training with the knights, which didn't really surprise him. Sometimes those training sessions took no time at all, others went much longer than Arthur anticipated. He set the basket down and started putting the clean clothes away.

Merlin stopped and looked around the room. Something wasn't right. Then he saw it. Arthur's sword was on the ground. He wouldn't have gone to training without his sword.

Maybe…they were training with maces, Merlin thought unsurely. But he still would have taken his sword. He always took his sword. And the sword wouldn't be lying unsheathed even if he _had_ left it behind intentionally.

Merlin walked over and picked up the sword. When he turned it over, his blood ran cold.

_Emrys._

It was etched into the blade. Merlin starred at it for a long moment, contemplating what it could mean, and realizing it was nothing good for Arthur. _Emrys._ Only the druids ever called him that. Whoever had done this must be a sorcerer.

Merlin knew something had been off that morning. Maybe someone really _had_ been calling him. But someone who knew who he was and his connection to Arthur? The sword was a clear enough message. Whoever did this wasn't after the prince.

-

Candun smiled when he felt Emrys call out to him. Candun had been subtle that morning, not wanting to warn the sorcerer to keep his guard up. But at last Emrys had felt his touch for what it was and responded. Which means he must have found the sword. In truth, Candun didn't know just who Emrys was. All he knew was that the sorcerer was in the palace somewhere, a silent guardian to Prince Arthur.

_Hello Emrys, _he said silently.

_Who are you? _The man wasted no time, Candun thought to himself with satisfaction. His mind-voice was cold as ice, and determined. Candun knew instantly that this man—whoever it was—would kill to protect the prince he had just kidnapped.

_You need not concern yourself with that._

_What do you want with me?_

_To meet you. The word is that you're among the most powerful sorcerers to live. I'm something of a fan, I suppose you could say._ He could feel Emrys's tension increase.

_Very well,_ he answered at last. _Return Arthur safely to his chambers, and I will come find you._

_Oh, but how do I know you'd make good on your word? No. I think I'll hold on to the prince for the time being. You need not worry, he is safe for now. And if you come, he will remain that way._

There was a silence before Emrys responded. _Very well. Where are you?_

_An hour before sunset, head directly north from Camelot, straight into the tree line. You should reach me after approximately thirty minutes walking._

With that the connection broke, and Candun smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Arthur's head felt like it had been bashed in by a giant rock. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing as the light from the setting sun struck pain through his temples. But the pain receded and at last he was able to open his eyes fully without any additional pain.

"Good evening, Your Highness," a now-recognizable deep voice said from in front of him. Arthur looked up, straight into the eyes of the man—the _sorcerer_—who had attacked him. The man was large and muscular, with a short, dark beard covering much of his face, his dark eyes framed by heavy eyebrows. Arthur would have moved to kill him, but he soon discovered he was tied to a tree.

"You won't get away with this," Arthur informed him. "My father will not rest until he has found me and killed you." The man shrugged, seemingly not at all concerned. But a thought occurred to Arthur. "Why haven't you killed me yet?" he asked.

"My boy, do you always assume everything to be about you? That must be an annoying quality for those around you."

The words sunk into Arthur like ice, but his expression didn't alter. "You're after my father then. Or perhaps all of Camelot?"

The man simply laughed. "Which are still indirectly about you," he pointed out. Arthur frowned.

"What do you want then? Money? Power?"

"You'll find out when Emrys gets here."

"Emrys," Arthur turned the name over in his mind. "Who is that? Your accomplice?"

The man barked a laugh, much more sincerely this time. "So the rumors are true! You really don't know!"

"Don't know what?" Arthur asked. He was trying to sound sure of himself and calm, but it was quite difficult when he didn't have the first clue what any of this was about.

"You have a sorcerer who lives among you," he answered, with that annoying, knowing smile, "in the castle."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Impossible," he said at last, concluding that this man must be lying. "My father would have found him and had him executed. No one can use magic in Camelot without getting caught."

"It is for _that_ reason, dear prince, that I wish to meet this Emrys." His eyes grew dark.

"You want to team up with him." Arthur didn't even realize that he'd gone from assuming this man to be outright lying to accepting this horrible truth in but an instant. But everything sunk into place before his eyes, like a giant, mental puzzle. Or so he thought.

"Ha! Team up with that traitor? I wouldn't dream of it." Arthur was more confused than ever. "That traitor has been protecting you, your father, and all of Camelot for months now! And I want to find out why. He knows all too well that you and your father would have him executed the moment you discovered him—even if you realized he'd been protecting your sorry selves! Why would he protect someone who would murder him in an instant?"

"_Protecting_ us?" Arthur repeated disbelievingly. No sorcerer would protect anything. Sorcerers were evil—all of them.

But…did he really believe that? A few months ago he had. But everything seemed different now—more complicated. He was starting to wonder if this whole war against magic was as black and white as his father made it out to be.

"Protecting you, more specifically. That seems to be his main agenda. Though he has been known to save your father as well. That's why I took you, you see. You're bait."

Arthur took a moment to process this information. But it couldn't be true. Could it? A sorcerer could not be watching him, a silent guardian, without him knowing. A sorcerer _would _not be protecting him. Why would he?

Immediately the blue orb of light floated to his mind. He had yet to find an explanation for that. But he could not deny that _someone _had summoned it to guide him out of that cave. Could it have been this Emrys person?

But why would any sorcerer protect a Pendragon?

-

Merlin stared out from his hiding place. Due to Arthur's disappearance, Camelot was now under lockdown, which meant sneaking out to meet a mysterious sorcerer more than a little difficult. So Merlin resorted to one of his simple little sneaking-out moves. With a mental nudge he sent a box in the further alley tumbling from its sitting place. One of the guards immediately went to check it out.

"Your turn," Merlin whispered under his breath. His eyes glowed gold again as he carefully moved a rock into the first guard's path, making him trip and let out a slight cry of alarm. As predicted, the second guard followed at a run to see what was wrong. Leaving the gate free.

Why was sneaking during a lockdown so easy? That didn't say much for Camelot's security.

Merlin took his opportunity and sprinted as silently as he could through the gate, continuing until he reached the tree line. Once there, he looked back to make sure he hadn't been noticed before taking a deep breath and striding into the forest with as much confidence as he could muster. He wore very indistinct clothes and a long traveling cloak with an oversized hood he kept up to conceal his face. He wanted to get out of this _without_ revealing anything to Arthur if at all possible.

He had informed Gaius of what had happened.

"If Arthur's conscious when you confront this man, he'll know the truth," his mentor had pointed out.

"I can't just leave him, Gaius," Merlin answered out reasonably. "I'll…wear a cloak. Arthur won't know it's me."

"I'm afraid that won't be enough, Merlin. You have been Arthur's servant for months now. He knows your voice and your mannerisms. You'll have to hide more than your face."

Merlin nodded slowly. "I'll talk as un-Merlin-like as possible, then. Simple as that," he said.

"And how do you expect to do that?" Gaius asked incredulously.

Merlin shrugged. "I'll think of something."

Gaius didn't like it, but they had no choice in the matter. It was either go after Arthur or let him die.

So now Merlin was striding through the forest, quite convinced this was a stupid idea, but not knowing what else to do.

When thirty minutes later he at last walked into a clearing to find two people—one familiar, one unfamiliar—he paused, holding himself tall, trying to look as intimidating as possible. Arthur knew him as the bumbling servant who messed everything up. So if he appeared to be in complete control, Arthur would be less likely to recognize him.

He starred at Arthur for a moment, assuring himself that he was not harmed in any significant way. Then he turned back to the sorcerer.

"I'm here," Merlin said simply, trying to keep his voice a bit lower-pitched than usual. "Now release the prince." Sounding regal was difficult when you didn't have a clue what your enemy was up to or capable of.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"I'm here," Emrys said simply, "Now release the prince."

"Not just yet."

"I could simply kill you, take him back by force," he pointed out

"Perhaps," the first man answered. "But you won't."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because you don't know why I'm really here. And you want to know."

Arthur was growing irritated. It was becoming increasingly obvious that this had nothing to do with him, and being a bargaining chip for some deal-gone-wrong between two sorcerers was more than a bit disconcerting. He wished he could see who Emrys was, but with the cloak, he could see nothing of the man's face. Was this man really living in the castle, right under their noses? Was he really the man who had conjured that light?

"Who are you?" Emrys asked calmly, after a moment's pause.

The man smiled lopsidedly. "My name's Candun. But I think you're more anxious to know how _I_ know _your_ name. Am I right?" Arthur could practically feel Emrys's eyes narrow, but the cloaked warlock said nothing. "You're fame is spreading," Candun said at last. "Rumors say that a powerful sorcerer named Emrys protects Prince Arthur of Camelot. But no one seems to know why. Or what his alias is."

"How do you know Emrys isn't my alias? Maybe my castle identity is my true identity." This was making Arthur's head spin.

"Does it matter?"

"What do you want with me?"

"The truth," Candun said quite simply. Then his easy-going voice became much more stern. "Why are you protecting this boy?"

Boy? Arthur thought to himself, stretching himself up tall in as manly way as he could muster whilst tied to a tree. It was bad enough this Candun person had kidnapped him, now he was insulting him.

"Why do you care?" Emrys shot back. This was getting even more annoying for Arthur. Couldn't he just stop beating around the bush and answer directly? Arthur couldn't deny that he actually wanted to hear the answer himself. If this man truly was protecting him, why? Candun didn't bat an eye, however. He just starred at his fellow sorcerer, waiting for the answer. "Arthur will be a great king one day," Emrys said at last.

"A great king for whom?" Candun shot back, anger obviously growing. "Uther has hunted us like animals and will continue to do so until his last breath. His son is no better!"

"Arthur is different than his father," Emrys said softly, shaking his head a bit.

"He'd have you executed the moment he found out your name!"

"You're wrong!" Emrys exclaimed. Arthur starred at him. That voice…his voice had changed. It had grown a bit desperate, as if he was trying to convince himself of what he was saying, and was just slightly higher-pitched. Arthur knew that voice.

Where did he know that voice?

"Then why do you hide your face?" Candun shot back. "If you truly believe what you say, then why not show him who you are?"

Emrys paused. And Arthur could easily tell what that silence meant.

"He's _exactly_ like his father," Candun filled in the silence. "Why are you deluding yourself into thinking otherwise?"

"It's not a delusion," the voice returned to its formal setting. It was much harder to pick out as recognizable, but Arthur couldn't shake those two words that had struck a chord with him, and he could still hear that same voice, even if it was being masked. "I hide because he's not ready yet. But one day he will be. One day he will learn."

"What if he never learns?"

"He _is_ learning. Do you want to know why I protect him? It's because I want a better life for people like us. I want us to be judged like anyone else—not for what we can do, but for what we _choose_ to do. But people like _you_ keep setting that goal back."

"You dare—"

"Yes I dare!" Emrys snapped. He was growing angry. "Every time a sorcerer attacks Camelot it drives home the lie that this man," he pointed to Arthur forcefully, "has been taught his whole life! How do you expect him to learn better when you're _teaching _him the same thing Uther is!"

Candun stared at him. "So this is your decision? You're going to be the death of us all."

Emrys shook his head. "You're wrong," he said again. But the anger was gone from his voice. He sounded more…resigned.

"Then we are at an impass."

Emrys sighed. "So what now?"

"Now, you die. Followed by your prince here."

Emrys bent his knees slightly, seemingly preparing for a fight.

Candun did not disappoint. Muttering some foreign words, his eyes flashed red and he held his hand forward. A pulse waved through the air towards Emrys. Immediately, Emrys' own hands flew up and some sort of forcefield erupted around him.

"You are strong," Candun muttered.

"And you're not," Emrys answered. Arthur almost laughed. "Why are you holding back?" Oh. The laughter died in his throat.

"Testing you, of course."

Another spout of unintelligible words and the second, more intense battle unfolded. Arthur had trouble following what was happening. He didn't know what any of those…spells were meant to do. Most of them didn't seem to have any visual effects. They all just felt like more of those strange pulses. They soon gave way to…flashier spells—fire, ice crystals…Even Arthur could feel the power resonate from the two.

One thing that did seem apparent, Candun was losing. It was obvious Emrys was more powerful. Candun seemed to realize this as well, but there was blood in his eyes.

"You would kill one of your own to save a Pendragon?"

"You are _not_ one of my own!" Emrys shouted in response, before unleashing another spell. Green fire rushed forward to engulf Candun, who's eyes opened wide in fear, but he managed to doge at the last minute. He could not keep this up forever, though, and all three people in the clearing had realized it.

"I will not die in vein," he said dramatically. Arthur couldn't help but roll his eyes. This man had lost, what was the point in the façade? But it wasn't a façade. Arthur didn't realize what he was doing until it was too late even to scream.

Candun muttered a single alien word and pointed, not at Emrys, but at Arthur. The air crackled and a wave of electricity shot towards him.

Arthur closed his eyes against the attack, helpless to do anything to stop it, but no pain came. He heard an impact and a groan of pain, and opened his eyes. Emrys stood in front of him. He had dropped to one knee, gasping slightly. The air crackled around him as the lightning's life faded.

Candun laughed, his eyes suddenly sure of victory now that one of his spells had connected. "You're weak, Emrys," he informed the man. "You may be very powerful, but you're still weak."

Arthur could only see Emrys's back, so he was unable to see how badly the sorcerer was injured. But the cloak shifted as he looked up at his opponent.

"_Ventos._"

The earth opened at Candun's feet and swallowed him. The ground resealed before Arthur could even register what had happened.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had some problems with my document manager as it wouldn't let me upload this chapter. But here it is now. Enjoy!**

Chapter Four

Merlin crouched there for a moment, regaining his breath. The electric blast had hit him square in the chest, and every small movement brought a new burst of pain. He'd managed to block enough of the attack that he was in no mortal danger, but it had still connected quite thoroughly. It burned.

"What just happened?" Arthur asked behind him. Merlin nearly laughed. It wasn't often the prince sounded so unsure of himself. Making sure his hood was still in place after the battle, and ignoring the pain, Merlin stood up and turned around.

"He's dead," he said simply, and bent to untie Arthur.

"How did you do that?" Arthur demanded, staring at the place where Candun had just been.

Merlin bit back the retort that rose to his lips. A retort was what _Merlin_ would say. He was still playing the part of Emrys. "Magic," he said simply, knowing the answer was obvious.

"No—I mean…just a moment ago you were over there," he protested, pointing absently to Merlin's previous standing place when his hands had been freed by the work, still staring at where Candun had been swallowed.

Merlin rolled his eyes, knowing Arthur couldn't see them. "Magic," he repeated. Arthur took a breath to protest the obvious response, but seemed to think better of it. Merlin suppressed a sigh, deciding to give Arthur at least somewhat of an answer. "I slowed down time," he said simply.

Arthur paused. "Oh," was all he said, in a tone that suggested even that couldn't really surprise him anymore. "You're hurt," he said instead, eyes lingering over Merlin's chest.

"I'll be fine," he said, acting for all intensive purposes as though he was not in agony. He glanced down at his chest though. The blast had burned right through his clothes and he could see a patch of blackened, burned skin. He would probably have a scar the rest of his life. Great, another thing to hide. "Follow me," he said, standing up.

Arthur, for once, did not argue. Merlin could only assume he was too stunned to speak. All sorcery was supposed to be evil; the law dictated that Arthur should kill his savior where he stood. But Merlin could tell the prince was lacking both the tools and the willpower for that particular action. It wasn't often your supposed enemy saved your life.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked after several minutes walking.

"Emrys," Merlin said shortly. _Weren't you listening?_ he almost added, but stopped himself again. Arthur seemed to accept the finality of his tone and did not speak again.

At least for a few minutes.

"No, I mean really," he added, as though there had been no lengthy pause between the questions.

"No one of consequence." It wasn't even a lie.

"Why?" Arthur asked, completely baffled still. "Why would you help me?"

Merlin stopped walking and contemplated his answer. "Because you are a good man."

"How can you be so sure?"

Merlin laughed softly as he started walking again. "You're father would never follow me anywhere, even after what happened back there," he pointed out. "You're learning to trust."

"But, it's more than just helping me," Arthur said softly, as though thinking through this for his own benefit as well. His eyes traced Merlin's wound again. "It's more than just a matter of convenience, like you make it sound, isn't it? You could have died from that blast. Are you really willing to sacrifice your life so easily? For the son of the man who's hunted you?"

Merlin paused again, wondering just how much he should reveal. He opted for the truth. "Our lives are bound together, Arthur. It is your destiny to take the throne, it is my destiny to make sure you live long enough to do just that." Arthur was silent yet again, contemplating this new information. It was one thing for an enemy to protect him, it was another matter entirely to have it be _destiny._ "I will die in your service if necessary," Merlin added softly. Arthur seemed even more at a loss for words after this statement.

There was another silence, longer even than the last stretch.

"It was you, wasn't it?" Merlin looked at him questioningly. Despite not being able to see his face, Arthur discerned the look. "The one who sent me that light. In the cave."

Merlin looked forward again. "Yes it was."

"Even then? Have you really been protecting me all this time?"

Merlin inclined his head. "Yes."

"But you weren't there," Arthur protested. "Were you? How could you have seen that I was in danger?"

Merlin didn't really know how to respond. He'd been barely conscious when that had happened. He really didn't _know_ how he had done it. _Had_ he been watching Arthur the whole time? Or had it been an instinctual reaction due to this destiny they shared?

He opted for the mysterious, somewhat creepy response. "I'm always watching you."

Arthur shuddered. "No offense, but knowing someone's been watching me all this time without my realizing it is a bit…disturbing."

Merlin smiled. "You have nothing to fear from me."

There was a much shorter silence this time. "I know," Arthur said at last. Merlin looked at him in surprise. He could hear in the prince's voice that he was surprised at his own words, too.

"It is for _that _reason_,_" Merlin told him, "that I know you are different."

The corner of Arthur's mouth twitched in a half-grin. "My father would be furious if he knew I was talking to you now."

"Yes well…Uther gets furious about a lot of things. If we didn't aggravate him once in a while where would the fun be?"

Arthur laughed out loud, but then a frown creased his forehead as he stared at his rescuer in contemplation as they walked. Merlin nearly cursed himself for making the jibe. He needed to keep the "mysterious" demeanor in place.

They had reached the edge of the forest and could see the walls of Camelot now.

"You can make your way from here," Merlin pointed out, stopping at the edge.

Arthur did not continue, however. "I know you," he said at last. "I know I do. Please, just tell me who you are."

Of course, the prince had no idea the effect those words had on the warlock standing in front of him. "How do I know you wouldn't have me executed?" Merlin asked reasonably.

Arthur shrugged. "It would hardly be fair, seeing as you just saved my life."

Merlin had always wanted to tell Arthur the truth. And here was the perfect opportunity. All he had to do was lower his hood and everything would be revealed. In a sense, he had already told Arthur half the secret. He already knew he had a magical protector, he just didn't know who it was. Perhaps tonight was the night to reveal it all.

But Arthur had no idea how…close he was to Emrys in real life. He probably assumed it was someone in the castle he had little to no contact with. If he found out it was his servant, whom he saw every day, talked and laughed with every day…Merlin still wasn't sure if he wanted to find out what his reaction would be.

A battle raged inside of Merlin. He reached up to lower his hood.

But he stopped himself. "No," he said out loud. It just wasn't the right time. "One day you'll learn who I am, Arthur. But it isn't time yet."

Arthur stared at him for a long moment, but at last gave the tinniest of nods and began walking again. Merlin stayed behind. He'd wait long enough for Arthur to get a respectable head start on him before he himself would return home.

Arthur paused for a moment and turned back. "Thank you, Emrys." He then continued on without waiting for a response.

Merlin breathed out a sigh of relief, at the same time he gripped his chest, finally allowing himself to show the pain.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

When Arthur strode back into Camelot, completely unharmed (save for a persisting headache), the guards didn't know what to make of it. Arthur suppressed a sigh, thinking through the story he would tell his father. He certainly couldn't tell him that the castle's own sorcerer-in-hiding had saved his life. No matter what Emrys had done for Arthur, Uther would not rest until he had hunted him down and executed him.

Arthur now felt shame and guilt swell in the pit of his stomach at that thought. He still didn't have all the details, but from what he'd witnessed tonight, this war against magic was anything _but_ black and white. How many more had been like Emrys? How many innocent, good people had his father murdered for no reason?

How many allies had his father alienated? How many enemies created?

He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. He had to have a clear head when he confronted his father. If he allowed himself to dwell on all that had happened, Arthur knew there was a strong possibility that he would snap at his father, and perhaps reveal more than he intended about what had happened. Arthur waited in the throne room until his father had been informed of his return and joined him.

"Arthur! Son! Thank heavens you're safe. What happened?"

"My apologies, father, my sudden absence was unfortunately unavoidable." Uther embraced his son, completely relieved at the prince's safety. "A sorcerer ambushed me in my chambers. I don't remember anything after than until I woke up in the forest."

"A sorcerer!" Uther hissed. "How did you escape? Is he dead?"

Arthur had contemplated this answer carefully. He had briefly considered telling his father about Emrys, though leaving out the parts about the man watching him, following him, and that whole living in Camelot thing, in hope that perhaps his father would see a glimpse of what Arthur was beginning to see. But he had discarded this idea rather quickly as foolish. Uther had made up his mind about magic long ago, and nothing anyone ever said or did would change that.

"Yes, he's dead," Arthur informed him. "I managed to get untied, then stole his sword and ran him through." Arthur felt only a twinge of guilt for fabricating such a lie to his father, but he brushed off the feeling.

Uther's relief was obvious. "What did he want?"

"You, Camelot, the usual," Arthur said with a shrug, grateful that his father didn't ask any more details about how he had escaped. Somehow, Arthur had found it slightly difficult to believe that his father would accept such a falsehood. How could he, Arthur, have defeated a sorcerer so easily?

"Then you have performed a great deed for Camelot tonight. Another great evil is dead. I am proud of you, my son.

Only a short while ago Arthur would have done nearly anything to hear those words, now all he felt was emptiness.

"Thank you, father."

-

"Ouch!"

"Merlin, hold still!"

"Well it's not _my _fault. I didn't ask to get hit by lightning."

"No, but you _did _jump in front of the blast. Why didn't you just take the extra time your spell gave you and move Arthur out of the way?"

Merlin looked at him sheepishly. "I didn't think about that," he admitted.

Gaius cleaned the wound gently. The dead, charred skin had already been removed, leaving behind a nice, rough patch of scarred tissue beneath, as Merlin had predicted. "You realize you're going to have to hide this scar, don't you?" Gaius asked him as he gingerly rubbed an ointment over the wound. Merlin relaxed slightly as the ointment sank into his skin and began its work. "If Arthur ever sees it, he will surely connect it with Emrys."

Merlin gave a heavy sigh. "Why did Candun have to go and kidnap him anyways? Everything was so nice and simple before."

Gaius nearly snorted. "Merlin, whatever things were before, simple was not one of them."

"Well, Arthur knows virtually everything now. The only thing he doesn't know is…well, me." Merlin heaved yet another sigh without realizing it.

"What is it, Merlin?" Gaius asked softly. "You saved him, and did so while keeping your secret in tact. Surely you must be happy about this."

"I am," Merlin assured his mentor. "But…" What could he say? That part of him wished Arthur had seen straight through his charade? That he'd almost rather have Arthur execute him than keep living in the dark? Somehow, after _almost_ revealing the whole truth to Arthur, after having Arthur practically accept magic—sort of—the prospect of returning to hiding was not that appeasing.

"But what?"

"I don't know. I just—a part of me wishes he'd found out."

Gaius rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "One day he will," he assured him. Merlin smiled at the old physician.

-

The next morning, Arthur was up far earlier than usual. He stared out the window over towards the forest.

_Who are you, Emrys?_ he asked himself for the thousandth time. Arthur had gone over and over the events that had transpired the previous night, desperately thinking of everything his helper had said and exactly how he had said it, grasping for some glimmer of a clue that would help him discover the truth.

_You're wrong!_

Those words rang in the prince's head—those two words shouted in the single moment of weakness Emrys had displayed, those two words that had very nearly identified the man. He had expected that with every passing moment, the vividness of those two words would fade, the way a dream faded the longer you were awake until it was all but forgotten. But the memory was just as sharp as though it were really happening again and again in front of him. Arthur would never forget.

He remained in that position for a long time, watching as the sun rose without realizing just how much time was passing, thinking about everything he had learned, so it startled him greatly when the door to his room burst open.

Reflexively Arthur spun to face the door, not willing to be taken by surprise for a second time, only to find Merlin.

Merlin tripped as he entered, almost dumping the prince's breakfast on the floor and only just managing to regain his balance.

"Merlin!" Arthur scolded his servant's clumsiness. "Are you just _completely_ useless?"

"Sorry, Sire," Merlin answered automatically.

Arthur shook his head. At least he knew one person Emrys absolutely could not be.

**The End**

**A/N: All, right, all right, before you go and shoot me for not having Arthur realize the truth, hear me out! I plan to write a sequel to this story sometime in the near future. I've got about six different ideas and I just have to pick one, develop it, and write it. Not sure exactly when it will be coming out so keep your eyes peeled! I hope you enjoyed this fic and I look forward to reading your reviews. Thanks so much for reading!**


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